“Baby’s safe. Sophie’s safe. I’m happy as can be.” She smiles and kisses Sophie’s cheek, “But if you ever want to travel ...”
We get Valerie back to the airport and get thrown back into our routine. As a group, we agree to wait until Sophie gets the news about the baby to bring up all of us leaving the office, but I take extra time for Sophie. She rarely has a moment alone.
We spoil her with time and attention. She makes a wreath with me for Halloween and we thoroughly enjoy the time we spend together. When Friday comes, no amount of attention will distract Sophie from the phone.
But our son can do that. I pull Link close. “Mommy is very worried about a phone call. Do you think we can distract her?”
Link considers it, then pouts. “I just got home from school.”
“I know.” I rub his shoulders. “Extra ice cream tonight?”
He immediately runs over. I was worried about having kids, but they’re fun and not too hard to get on board with things. Link tugs on Sophie’s shirt. “Mommy.”
“Hi, honey, how was school?” Sophie asks.
“Someone said a mean word.”
Okay, that’s news.
“They said I was stupid. That people only have one mommy and one daddy. They said I can’t have more than one daddy.”
“Well, they’re wrong.” She puts Link on her lap. “You’re lucky enough to have four daddies that love you.”
“Tommy said that onlyonedaddy is myrealdaddy though. That everyone else is a liar.” Link glances at me.
I just stare. I don’t know what to do with this information. Sophie swallows and I see her try to come up with the answer. I clear my throat. “Link?”
He just looks at me and doesn’t call me daddy. It hurts a little more than I thought it would. But Sophie’s struggling and this wasn’t what I had in mind. “Nick, Gunner, Roman, and I love you. You’re our son, that’s how we see you.”
“Okay,” Link says softly.
“Do you love us?”
“Yes!” He nods. “I love Mommy and you, Daddy.”
My heart relaxes a bit.
“That’s all that matters. You’re lucky enough to have a big family that loves you. Do the details matter when you have four daddies that are very excited to do Halloween drawings with you?”
That turns him all around. We draw together – even though I’m pretty sure my son is better than I am. Roman takes care of Cora and they cook together while he sings to her in Italian.
But right as Gunner gets home, the phone rings. Sophie looks at it, picks it up, and takes it to the balcony. Roman and I look at each other. Gunner is enjoying the excitement of the kids, hearing all about their day. I nod once to Roman.
“Let us know,” I say simply.
“Daddy, look at what we drew!” Link grabs our drawing and shows it to Gunner.
Gunner sits with him and touches the drawing, asking Link to find things in the house that look like that. Cora giggles and joins in. I can tell they’re having fun and that’s what matters. At this moment. That our kids feel loved, no matter what others say.
I nudge Gunner. “The kids have started talking to Link about us.”
He nods. “It was a matter of time.”
“We’re going to have to handle it together.”
“Like everything else.” Gunner opens his arms for Link.
Soon enough, Link will notice the similarities. He’ll figure out that Gunner is his biological dad and a part of me is afraid that once that happens, things will change. Sophie’s right, we don’t have long to make all the memories we want. The memories that we’ll be able to hold onto. The innocent ones, the happiness.